That's it from the trio of Ajith, Srivathsa and Sid V. We'll be back tomorrow for the double header. It's Deccan v Rajasthan to start the proceedings and Kochi v Bangalore later in the evening. Do join us for the live coverage, until then, it's good bye and good night. Keep your frown upside down.

Presentation:

Srikkanth: I have been waiting for my opportunities, I didn't play entirely like my dad, I played a bit more sensibly, worked around singles and capitalised. In the middle overs I realised that the ball is not coming onto the bat as easily as I thought it would. At the end of the innings, I thought of hitting the ball hard and I wasn't able to get the big hit in. I wanted to do well for the team and I wasn't expecting a Man of the Match in the very first game. But am happy now.

Anirudha Srikkanth is the Man of the Match.

MS Dhoni: It's the first game of the IPL, we had a new squad and it's more like you have a new car, you want to apply the brake but you don't want to break it. Tim and Randiv - the new bloke - bowled well. 153 was enough, the new ball was important. When most of the people thought that the game was over by the end of the 8th over, I told my players that the game has just started. There was a bit of a reverse swing, the ball was holding up before coming onto the bat, I always get confused when there are two options, like head and tail. They decided to go for an outside off yorker, but I wanted him to follow the batsman and get an in swinging yorker in, glad that it worked.

Gambhir: 150 odd was a par score, we should have chased this, this is what T20 cricket is all about. We lost it in the middle overs, we have not done too badly, we need to improve. Me and Jacques are similar cricketers, we wanted someone to go hard from one end and that's why I decided to come down the order. We should not repeat our mistakes.

Southee: Dhoni asked me what kinda delivery I am comfortable with, I had practiced the yorker a lot and we set the field accordingly. I backed myself to do the job, there was no point rushing things through, at the end we made the right decision and it paid off. The crowd were great, they never gave up and they were behind us right until the end.

The first match of the IPL has produced an absolute thriller. The depth in the Kolkata batting has not helped them here as Dhoni's Midas touch continued. Bisla and Kallis got them off to a confident start. Bisla was aggressive from the outset and that rubbed off on Kallis. Dhoni rotated his bowlers, especially the spinners regularly, but Kolkata still managed to score at a decent pace. Randiv troubled the batsmen with his spin and bounce, but Kallis held firm to score a classy fifty. It was towards the end that the Chennai spinners wrecked the Kolkata middle order. All the batsmen perished to loose shots and the team self destructed. Tiwary struck a couple of sixes in Randiv's final over as they needed 9 off 6 balls. However, Southee bowled a brilliant last over as Chennai won the match by 2 runs. Stay tuned for the presentation.

19.6

Southee to Bhatia, leg byes, 1 run, Southee has become a hero in his first match for Chennai, full and angling in, in the blockhole, Bhatia can't dig it away, rolls off the pad to square leg, the defending champions prove their mettle, CSK win by 2 runs

Southee, Raina and Dhoni are having a mini conference. Albie and Ashwin join in, lots of changes to the field. Shah Rukh is seen cheering KKR, can't help but feel for him. Who would have expected such a tight finish? Wasim Akram is sporting a perplexed look. Fine leg is a lot squarer, can Bhatia get an edge that will run all the way?

19.5

Southee to Abdulla, 1 run, yorker length delivery on the off stump, squeezed to point, only a single

Five off two balls. Chennai? KKR? Or wait a minute, how about a super over?

19.4

Southee to Abdulla, no run, you can't take Dhoni out of the game, can you? full and angling away, Abdulla misses, Abdulla looked to sneak a bye, Dhoni comes charging in, Abdulla turns back and makes his ground

19.3

Southee to Abdulla, 2 runs, banged in short, Abdulla goes back and pulls it over mid wicket, takes a couple, Sunny G on air tells that Abdulla is coming out of a good domestic season

Iqbal Abdulla, left handed bat, comes to the crease

19.2

Southee to Shukla, out Caught by Styris!! The game of twists and turns has something more in store. It was full and outside off, Shukla reaches out for it swinging his bat at it, the bottom hand came off and the outside edge goes straight into the hands of Styris at third man, on any other day, third man would have been wide and Shukla would have got a boundary, but it's not his day today. Shukla c Styris b Southee 14(10) [4s-2]

Southee to Shukla, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

19.1

Southee to Shukla, 2 runs, cheekily done, Shukla walks across looking to scoop it, Southee bowls it fuller, Shukla checks his shot, drags it to square leg from outside off, good running this, they take two

Rajat Bhatia, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Who will bowl the last over? Southee it is. Will he do a Nehra? Or will Chennai have the last laugh?

18.6

Randiv to Tiwary, out Stumped!! This game is not for the light hearted folks, certainly not! Another twist in the tale, Tiwary comes down the wicket looking to finish things off with a big heave, misses it completely, Dhoni is behind the stumps and the rest is history. Tiwary st Dhoni b Randiv 27(15) [4s-1 6s-2]

Randiv to Tiwary, THATS OUT!! Stumped!!

18.5

Randiv to Tiwary, no run, Tiwary makes room, the ball turns away, beats Tiwary as he looks to cut

Well, the pendulum swings again! 9 off 8 now! Ashwin walks up to Randiv and offers some advice

18.4

Randiv to Tiwary, SIX!!, Two in a row! Poor ball that, on a length and too easy for Tiwary to get down on one knee and slog sweeps it over deep mid wicket, for a moment, the fielder in the deep was kept interested, but ends up being just a spectator

18.3

Randiv to Tiwary, SIX!!, There's the twist in the tale! Tiwary gets down on one knee and lofts the flighted delivery over long on, gets the distance, the crowd are stunned to silence, they thought it was going down the throat of long on, but it wasn't suppossed to be so!

18.2

Randiv to Shukla, 1 run, Shukla goes on the backfoot and slaps it to extra cover

18.1

Randiv to Shukla, FOUR!!, not off the middle of the bat, but Shukla will take it anyday! Goes for the switch hit, gets a thick edge and the ball runs down fine towards the third man region, short third man had no chance

Suraj Randiv [3.0-0-16-0] is back into the attack

17.6

Southee to Shukla, 1 run, just 7 runs off that over! Good enough for CSK. Shukla made room and chipped it over cover, the bottom hand came off the bat, falls in no man's land

17.5

Southee to Shukla, FOUR!!, doesn't matter how they come! Shukla makes room and looks to go over mid wicket, swings his bat, gets an under edge and the ball races down to the fine leg boundary

17.4

Southee to Tiwary, 1 run, banged in short, Tiwary pulls, doesn't connect well, gets it down towards long on, singles will do no good at this stage

17.3

Southee to Shukla, 1 run, Shukla backs away slightly, slaps it hard, but straight to the man at wide long off

17.2

Southee to Shukla, no run, good short ball, just around the off stump and thereabouts, Shukla backs away and looks to upper cut that, makes no contact

17.1

Southee to Shukla, no run, good tight line and length, back of a length and on the off stump, defended towards mid off

Tim Southee [2.0-0-18-0] is back into the attack

16.6

Raina to Shukla, 1 run, tucked off the backfoot to square leg

Laxmi Shukla, right handed bat, comes to the crease

16.5

Raina to Gambhir, out Gambhir Run Out!!1 run completed, The KKR batsmen have turned on the self destruction mode, the extra run wasn't required at all, Gambhir has to pay for it. He came down the wicket, chipped it to deep extra cover, the fielder fumbled but the batsmen only took a single, throw comes in to Dhoni who fails to collect it, but Styris was backing up near short third man, much closer rather, he comes in running, picks the ball and hurls in an under arm throw, the direct hit sees the end of Gambhir. Misery for KKR and Chennai have turned the game on its head. Gambhir run out (Styris) 1(2)

Raina to Gambhir, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!

Oh dear! Drama here at Chepauk. They wanted to take the run off the overthrow, Gambhir is out! Third umpire called for, the decision will be made soon.

16.4

Raina to Gambhir, no run, Gambhir cuts, but straight to the man at point, he wanted a single, sent back

Gautam Gambhir, left handed bat, comes to the crease

16.3

Raina to Morgan, out Stumped!! Superb delivery, Morgan tried to get cheeky by coming down the track, the ball turns away from him beating the outside edge, he was a long way down the wicket, and unfortunately for Morgan, the man standing behind the stumps as safe as houses, he collects the ball, removes the bails and Raina erupts! The crowd know that the game is with Chennai now. Morgan st Dhoni b Raina 6(6) [4s-1]

Raina to Morgan, THATS OUT!! Stumped!!

16.2

Raina to Morgan, no run, slower through the air, turns away from Morgan, he misses the cut, the crowd is behind Raina and Chennai

16.1

Raina to Tiwary, 1 run, Tiwary looks to come down the wicket, Raina follows him, Tiwary checks his shot and tucks it wide of square leg

Suresh Raina, right-arm off break, comes into the attack

Another strategy break. At one stage, it looked like KKR were cruising, but suddenly the tides have turned and one or two tight overs has brought Chennai right back into it. These two batsmen in the middle are capable of getting the big hits in, but the slower bowlers are doing a splendid job. Let's find out what happens.

15.6

Ashwin to Morgan, FOUR!!, fabulous! Class written all over it, Morgan clears his front leg, just lofts it gently, bisects long off and deep extra cover to perfection, 36 off 24 needed now! Can Morgan do it?

15.5

Ashwin to Morgan, 2 runs, Morgan gets his front leg across, turns it to square leg, the two fielders at square leg make a mess of it, allows Morgan an extra run

15.4

Ashwin to Morgan, no run, fuller one, pushed back to the bowler

15.3

Ashwin to Morgan, no run, grips and turns away, good bounce as well, beaten! Morgan had no clue whatsoever

Eoin Morgan, left handed bat, comes to the crease

15.2

Ashwin to Kallis, out Caught by Badrinath!! The pendulum is swinging, the see saw is moving the other way. Is the fat lady singing for SRK's Knight Riders? Well bowled, carrom ball from Ashwin, it was on the leg stump, too full, Kallis premeditated the paddle scoop, he takes it on the full and the ball goes straight into the hands of the man at short fine. Chennai are right back into it. Kallis c Badrinath b Ashwin 54(42) [4s-7]

Ashwin to Kallis, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

15.1

Ashwin to Tiwary, 1 run, trifle short but flatter as well, Tiwary goes back, clips it to square leg

Ravichandran Ashwin [3.0-0-19-0] is back into the attack

14.6

Albie Morkel to Tiwary, 1 run, in the air, safe! Tiwary leans and chips it in the air towards extra cover after checking the shot, Raina dives, but the ball falls short of him, he does well not to let it go past, they take a single in the meantime

14.6

Albie Morkel to Tiwary, wide, slower ball! It was well outside the off stump, touch and go, close to the wide indicator line, the umpire has a close look, Tiwary didn't go after the ball and it may have forced that decision from the umpire

14.5

Albie Morkel to Kallis, 1 run, banged in short, it was rising all the way, Kallis gets on top and drops it wide of the keeper

14.4

Albie Morkel to Tiwary, 1 run, plays it sensible this time, it was slightly back of a length, steered down to third man

14.3

Albie Morkel to Tiwary, FOUR!!, Brutal! He's going after everything, clears his front leg, gets the power required and slaps it brutally between the bowler and mid off, it rockets away to the fence

14.2

Albie Morkel to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis gets an outside edge, the ball runs down to third man

14.1

Albie Morkel to Tiwary, 1 run, good bouncer to start with, Tiwary gets into a slightly awkward position but manages to get it over square leg, on one bounce to the keeper

Albie Morkel [2.0-0-22-0] is back into the attack

13.6

Jakati to Tiwary, 1 run, Tiwary opens the face of the bat, runs it to short third man, played it with soft hands

13.5

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, pushed off the backfoot again, through cover, the batsmen are dealing in singles

13.4

Jakati to Tiwary, 1 run, shortish from Jakati, slapped off the backfoot to sweeper cover

13.3

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis comes down the wicket and just taps it wide of the bowler to long on, some confusion but single taken

13.2

Jakati to Tiwary, 1 run, Tiwary dances down the wicket, gives it his everything, gets it over the bowler and Tim Southee runs to his right from long on, dives and keeps it down to one

13.1

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis pushes it gently to sweeper cover for an easy single

Shadab Jakati [3.0-0-20-1] is back into the attack

Interesting stat: Both Kolkata and Chennai were 95/2 after 13 overs. Which way is the game heading?

12.6

Randiv to Tiwary, 2 runs, looks like a Test match field to me, three men close to the bat, slightly short, the ball bounces a touch more, Tiwary goes back, guides it wide of first slip, quick running helps them complete two runs

Manoj Tiwary, right handed bat, comes to the crease

12.5

Randiv to Kallis, out Yusuf Pathan Run Out!! That's a big big wicket and it's Dhoni's sheer brilliance that has led to this dismissal. He's right up there among the best keepers of all time, Kallis went back, just tapped it to the on side and set off for a single, there was no fielder close in towards the on side, Dhoni had to run after the ball, he picks it up, turns back, he only had one stump to aim at, sends in a direct hit, and Yusuf Pathan was caught ambling. Yusuf Pathan run out (Dhoni) 11(12) [6s-1]

Randiv to Kallis, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!

Dhoni has done a splendid job. Looks like Yusuf Pathan is out! Third ump in question again.

12.4

Randiv to Yusuf Pathan, 1 run, Yusuf Pathan goes back, this time, tucks it to square leg for an easy single

12.3

Randiv to Yusuf Pathan, no run, wonderfully bowled! Randiv wasn't afraid to flight the ball, Yusuf Pathan goes for the slog sweep again, misses, drags his foot slightly out of the crease and does well to drag it back in time. It was touch and go, but it was slightly in favor of Yusuf Pathan, NOT OUT says the big screen

Well well well! Dhoni has whipped the bails in a flash, third umpire called for. Dhoni looks confident. Is Yusuf's back foot in? Looks mighty close. The benefit of the doubt may go to Yusuf Pathan.

12.2

Randiv to Yusuf Pathan, no run, well tossed up, turns away slightly, Yusuf Pathan was looking to slog that over deep mid wicket, no contact made!

12.1

Randiv to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis waits for it, plants his foot forward and runs it down to third man with an open face

Suraj Randiv [2.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack

Srivathsa is off, Ajith is in! KKR well on course at this stage, any drama in store?

11.6

Ashwin to Kallis, 1 run, turned with the spin past square leg, the Kolkata side are doing it easily

11.5

Ashwin to Kallis, no run, a mistimed cut, finds cover

11.4

Ashwin to Yusuf Pathan, 1 run, whipped through square leg, for a single

11.3

Ashwin to Yusuf Pathan, no run, flat delivery on leg stump, nudged near his feet

11.2

Ashwin to Yusuf Pathan, no run, pushes forward and defends the topie back to Ashwin

11.1

Ashwin to Kallis, 1 run, there was a chance of a run-out, but Badri didn't pick the ball at short fine, Kallis didn't know where the ball had gone and if Badri had picked it up Kallis was struggling

Ravichandran Ashwin [2.0-0-16-0] is back into the attack

10.6

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, driven down to long off, Kallis retains strike

10.5

Jakati to Kallis, FOUR!!, the man at short cover, moved the other way, went to his left, the ball went to his right and Jakati lets out a groan in disappointment, short and wide outside off, cut away hard into the ground and the ball beats the short cover man

10.4

Jakati to Kallis, no run, Kallis leans forward to turn it to leg, the ball takes the inner half and rolls near his feet

10.3

Jakati to Yusuf Pathan, 1 run, cut to deep backward point, a single

10.2

Jakati to Yusuf Pathan, no run, cut away straight to the fielder at backward point

10.1

Jakati to Yusuf Pathan, SIX!!, the beast has exploded at Chennai, takes the tossed up delivery on off stump and swings through the line, big broad shoulders and the white ball soars over long on, clean hitting, the fielder was just a spectator

9.6

Albie Morkel to Kallis, FOUR!!, magnificent touch batting from Kallis, it was the off cutter outside off, Kallis came down on it late, dabbed it to the right of MS, third man had no chance, Albie Morkel and MS look at each other

9.5

Albie Morkel to Kallis, FOUR!!, Randiv at backward point, leapt full length, with both hands stretched, it might have touched the tip of the fingers of Randiv, but what a fine shot by Kallis, backed away and flayed it up and eluded Randiv, the ball raced away

9.4

Albie Morkel to Yusuf Pathan, 1 run, fuller length and on off stump, Yusuf Pathan gets forward to drive, it runs off the thickish outside edge down to third man

9.3

Albie Morkel to Kallis, 1 run, slower delivery outside off, Kallis moves to off and chops it down to third man

9.2

Albie Morkel to Yusuf Pathan, 1 run, back of a length and rising outside off, Yusuf Pathan ala Kallis did last ball, dabs with an open face down to third man

9.1

Albie Morkel to Kallis, 1 run, short of length delivery outside off, Kallis arches back and dabs it down to third man, rode the bounce well

Albie Morkel [1.0-0-10-0] is back into the attack

The time-out is done and so is the banana. Albie to start after the break. Kallis will anchor the chase.

The Time-out is on. Time for me to eat a banana.

8.6

Jakati to Yusuf Pathan, no run, leans forward to defend the flighted offering on off

Yusuf Pathan, right handed bat, comes to the crease

The Man-Beast - Yusuf Pathan comes on. A slip and a gully in place for the Baroda basher.

8.5

Jakati to Bisla, out Stumped!! 1 chance will all that MS will give, 2nd chance - Bisla is gone. Tried to manufacture one shot too many and perished. Beaten in the flight, as he came down the track, tried an ugly heave-ho, the ball spun across his bat and MS did the rest. Raina and Jakati are all smiles. Bisla st Dhoni b Jakati 27(29) [4s-3]

Jakati to Bisla, THATS OUT!! Stumped!!

8.4

Jakati to Bisla, no run, Bisla knelt down to sweep, bottom edged it down to short fine

8.3

Jakati to Bisla, 2 runs, good fielding from Badri at long off, slid to his right and saved a couple of runs, Bisla chipped it uppishly

8.2

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, dragged down, Kallis rocks back and cutds down to sweeper cover

8.1

Jakati to Bisla, 1 run, Jakati is taking the pace of the ball, Bisla miscues the inside out drive over cover, it was well wide of the man, though it was in the air

7.6

Randiv to Bisla, 1 run, to long on, mistimed drive down to long on

7.5

Randiv to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis leans forward and drives with an open face down to sweeper cover

7.4

Randiv to Bisla, 1 run, soft hands and then playing with the spin, turning it into the vacant spaces on the on side

7.3

Randiv to Bisla, no run, flicked straight to the fielder at short mid

7.2

Randiv to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis goes on the backfoot and dabs the off break adjusting with the bounce to backward square leg

7.1

Randiv to Kallis, no run, beautiful bowling from Randiv, the toppie that goes straight on, Kallis tried to dab that with an open face, played outside the line, hit the groin of Kallis and he winces in pain

6.6

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis gets forward and drives hard to long off, retains the strike with that run

6.5

Jakati to Kallis, no run, well tossed up outside off, driven with an open face to cover

6.4

Jakati to Bisla, 1 run, swept in the air, but well in front of deep square leg

6.3

Jakati to Kallis, 1 run, punched off the backfoot, square of the wicket

Jakati to Bisla, no run, Bisla is trying to come down the wicket and go hard at the ball, Jakati pulls the length back, Bisla taps it back to him

Shadab Jakati, comes into the attack

The spin troika is complete as Jakati comes on now.

5.6

Randiv to Bisla, 1 run, places it wide of mid wicket and takes a single

5.5

Randiv to Bisla, no run, Bisla now finds short mid wicket

5.4

Randiv to Kallis, 1 run, Kallis shuffles across and works it with the spin to square leg

5.4

Randiv to Kallis, wide, way down leg

5.3

Randiv to Bisla, 1 run, turned through backward square leg, a single

5.2

Randiv to Bisla, no run, stumping chance missed, lovely delivery that from Randiv, Bisla was comprehensively beaten by that toppie, came down the track, it went straight on, Bisla tried to waft across the line, missed, MS missed too, he tried to grab at that ball, it hit the gloves and went away to on, Albie comes up and pats him

5.1

Randiv to Bisla, FOUR!!, Bisla backs away and then puts it away, short and wide outside off, though the bounce was there, Bisla is good enough to get it wide of backward point, Randiv's first ball in IPL has gone for a boundary, we have seen many bowlers suffering that fate

Suraj Randiv, right-arm off break, comes into the attack

Randiv with a slip comes on.

4.6

Ashwin to Bisla, 1 run, Bisla comes down the track and chips it in the air, but well wide of any man

4.5

Ashwin to Kallis, 1 run, straight to the fielder at short fine and they pinch a single

4.4

Ashwin to Kallis, no run, the carrom ball from Ashwin, Kallis stumbled out and almost yorked himself, jammed it out in the end

4.3

Ashwin to Kallis, 2 runs, paddle swept to fine leg, past leg slip and Randiv slides to his right at deep square to keep it down to a couple

4.2

Ashwin to Kallis, no run, the toppie from Ashwin, Kallis watches it carefully and then defends

Southee to Bisla, 1 run, this one swung back in, to off stump, Bisla came down on it late, wide of backward point, Bisla retains the strike with that run

3.5

Southee to Kallis, 1 run, dab and run to cover point, Kallis tapped that softly, Bisla responded in time, easily done in the end

3.4

Southee to Kallis, FOUR!!, make that 3 in a row, poor bowling from the Kiwi, down leg, Kallis closes the face of the bat, plays the nice looking clip off his pads, to the left of short fine, he was up and once it beat him, it was 4 all the way, MS has a worried look on his face

3.3

Southee to Kallis, FOUR!!, too short from Southee and Kallis will latch on, as he does this time, rocks back and pulls over mid wicket, the home side are under pressure already

3.2

Southee to Kallis, FOUR!!, beautiful shot, an open faced elegant square drive, caressed wide of the cover fielder, high elbow and all that to boot

3.1

Southee to Kallis, no run, good fielding from Randiv at short mid, moved to his left, punched hard by Kallis and Randiv saved some runs

2.6

Ashwin to Bisla, FOUR!!, good shot, that, third time he has got hold of that sweep, on one knee and down to backward square leg, one bounce over the ropes. Ashwin's first over has gone for plenty

2.5

Ashwin to Bisla, no run, struck on the pad, but sliding down

2.4

Ashwin to Bisla, no run, the carrom ball, on the middle and leg stump line, Bisla looks to sweep, is too early into the shot, a leading edge dribbles back to Ashwin

2.3

Ashwin to Kallis, 1 run, huge shout for LBW, Billy Doctrove says it is a run, despite Kallis getting hit on the pad, he shuffled across to work it, missed, would've missed leg

2.3

Ashwin to Kallis, 5 wides, turn and huge turn, down leg anf further down, MS moved to his left, was surprised by the turn and it goes down to the fence, Ashwin isn't impressed with that call

Anirudha apparently has strained his ankle and seen hobbling off the field.

2.2

Ashwin to Bisla, 1 run, turns the regulation offie through mid wicket

2.1

Ashwin to Bisla, no run, Bisla comes down the track and Ashwin sees that, drags it down short, Bisla adjusts and defends it back to Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin, right-arm off break, comes into the attack

Ash with a slip comes on. This inside the power-play. He is used to it though.

1.6

Southee to Bisla, 1 run, fraction short outside off, Bisla rocks back and cuts down to third man

1.5

Southee to Bisla, no run, short of length and moving in to off stump, Bisla stands tall and punches it down back to Southee

Southee to Kallis, no run, struck hard, but straight to the fielder behind square leg, Vijay is standing there, Kallis rolled his wrists and pulled the ball down hard into the ground

1.2

Southee to Kallis, 2 runs, drifts into middle, Kallis goes back and whips it with the angle to deep square leg, for a couple

1.1

Southee to Kallis, no run, Southee the Kiwi, comes on and immediately lands it on a back of a length on off stump, Kallis goes on the backfoot and turns it with the wrists down to mid wicket

Tim Southee, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

0.6

Albie Morkel to Kallis, 1 run, an open faced steer down to third man, Kallis retains the strike with that run

0.5

Albie Morkel to Kallis, FOUR!!, poor ball, slides down leg, Albie Morkel should know that, when he is bowling to Kallis, a fellow South African, all Kallis could do was shuffles across and then glance it to the right and wide of short fine

Albie Morkel to Bisla, FOUR!!, beautiful shot, staying leg side of the ball, comes down the track, moves outside leg, creates the room and then thrashes it wide of mid off, hit all along the carpet, Bisla and KKR are away, remember that Bisla played a few cameos when he was with KXIP

0.2

Albie Morkel to Bisla, no run, another front-foot drive, again cover does the mopping up

0.1

Albie Morkel to Bisla, no run, short of length delivery on off stump, Bisla plays a nice looking punch shot to cover

Bisla and Kallis are at the crease. Bisla is on strike. Albie Morkel will open the attack

The opening game of this season's IPL has gotten underway and in a subdued fashion I would say. Chennai never got going, as the Kolkata side stifled the flow of runs with some tight bowling in the middle overs. Anirudha flatbatted, lofted and plundered a few in the opening power-play. He reached his fifty, and though the wickets kept falling at the other end, he batted for the most part. The others came and went. Chennai end up on 153. Will that be enough? Doesn't look like it. We will know when we will be back for the chase in a short while.

19.6

Kallis to Albie Morkel, SIX!!, Humongous! Poor ball that, length delivery or slightly fullish perhaps, and Albie Morkel backs away, smacks that over the long on boundary, the crowds have some catching to do, he got nicely under the ball and gave it the full monty

19.5

Kallis to Albie Morkel, FOUR!!, as straight as a ramrod! too full and on the middle, Albie Morkel makes room and drives it elegantly down the wicket, bisects the two men in the deep

19.4

Kallis to Styris, 1 run, yorker length and on the off stump, Styris digs it to the off side towards point, quick single

19.3

Kallis to Styris, FOUR!!, sensible stuff! Sees the fuller delivery, walks across and flicks it down to the fine leg boundary, got it over the man at short fine, useful runs!

Scott Styris, right handed bat, comes to the crease

19.2

Kallis to Anirudha, out Bowled!! Kallis tries an yorker, full and toe crushing, it hits Anirudha just above his toe, goes back and knock the bail off the off stump, Kallis was appealing for LBW but umpire Paul Reiffel points out and tells Kallis that the bail has fallen down. End of a fine innings from Anirudha, he would only wish that he could have gotten the big hits in towards the end. Anirudha b Kallis 64(55) [4s-6 6s-2]

They should have scored more than this, the Super Kings. But some serious death bowling by the Knight Riders have pegged them back, superb stuff from Balaji and Kallis.

18.6

Balaji to Albie Morkel, 1 run, too full from Balaji, driven down to long on

18.5

Balaji to Albie Morkel, no run, another short ball, Albie Morkel pulls, overbalances and falls down, the ball goes to the man at mid on but they can't take the single

18.4

Balaji to Anirudha, 1 run, Anirudha looks to pull the short ball, doesn't connect well, towards the maker's name, the ball falls between mid off and mid on, only a single

18.3

Balaji to Anirudha, 2 runs, Anirudha goes back, enough time to pull it over mid wicket and slightly wide of the man in the deep, takes two

18.2

Balaji to Albie Morkel, 1 run, another one that was angling away from Albie Morkel, he reaches out with not much feet movement, gets an under edge to the keeper, Anirudha wants a single, the keeper fails to hit the stumps as he under arms a throw, Anirudha was a long way down

18.1

Balaji to Albie Morkel, no run, good change of pace that, short of length and angling away, Albie Morkel can't get the pull shot right

17.6

Kallis to Anirudha, no run, fabulous over from the veteran! Sends a delivery just outside the off stump, short of a good length, Anirudha gets the full swing of the bat, but meets thin air, beaten! Only five runs off that Kallis over

17.5

Kallis to Albie Morkel, 1 run, Albie Morkel looks to play across, gets an inside edge onto the pads, the ball rolls to the off side, stifled appeal for LBW, but it pitched outside leg and also took a part of the bat

17.4

Kallis to Anirudha, 1 run, Kallis send in a low full toss, Anirudha swings hard, but straight to the fielder at mid wicket

17.3

Kallis to Albie Morkel, 1 run, Albie Morkel gets forward, only manages an outside edge down to third man

Albie Morkel, left handed bat, comes to the crease

17.2

Kallis to Dhoni, out Caught by Bisla!! End of Dhoni! Kallis uses all his experience and gets a perfect bouncer, extra bounce puts Dhoni in an awkward position, he was looking like a cow on ice as he played at that, gets a top edge as the ball hurries onto him, the ball balloons up in the air and Bisla takes a simple catch behind the stumps, he just had to move a couple of steps forward to his left. Dhoni c Bisla b Kallis 29(21) [4s-1 6s-1]

Kallis to Dhoni, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

17.1

Kallis to Dhoni, 2 runs, Will it be called a no-ball? Nope! It was a high full toss, Dhoni smacked that hard, just past the non-striker in a flash, long on runs wide to keep them down to two, excellent running

Jacques Kallis [1.0-0-13-0] is back into the attack

16.6

Balaji to Dhoni, 1 run, Dhoni wristily whips it as he stands on his toes and plays it off the backfoot, ends the over with a single

16.5

Balaji to Dhoni, 2 runs, Balaji's slower bouncers are doing the trick for him, Dhoni had to adjust and pull it, gets it between the two men in the deep on the on side, a couple more in the offing

16.4

Balaji to Anirudha, 1 run, another low full toss, Anirudha slaps hard, Balaji gets some hand to it and the ball ricochets down to long on, he took the pace off the ball, but the batsmen can't get anything more than a single

16.3

Balaji to Dhoni, 1 run, slower bouncer by Balaji, guided down to third man

Anirudha has broken his bat, and the extras run into the field with new willows. Slight delay, and we are now back

16.2

Balaji to Anirudha, 1 run, change of pace, slower delivery from Balaji, pulled to mid wicket, didn't time it one bit

16.1

Balaji to Anirudha, no run, Balaji gets one in the blockhole, ends up being a very low full toss, squeezed to backward point

Lakshmipathy Balaji [2.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack

Four more overs to go, 170 possible? Dhoni is going strong, you never know! Remember, there are a few more big hitters sitting in the hut.

Ladda to Anirudha, no run, Anirudha reverse sweeps, but straight to the fielder at point

15.4

Ladda to Anirudha, SIX!!, Another Biggie! It's not Dhoni folks, Anirudha it is. Ladda drops one short, Anirudha goes back and pulls it over deep mid wicket, just about manages to clear the ropes, the fielder in the deep might have hurt himself while falling back on the advertising hoardings

15.3

Ladda to Dhoni, 1 run, punched down to long on off the backfoot

15.2

Ladda to Dhoni, no run, Dhoni goes back, cuts it backward point, they can't take a single

15.1

Ladda to Dhoni, SIX!!, The people at Marina beach will have some catching to do! Dhoni, you beauty! Takes on Ladda, gets underneath the fuller delivery and clobbers it over long on, when he hits it that way, it stays hit. Terrific use of the bottom hand!

14.6

Abdulla to Dhoni, 1 run, another full toss, but outside the off stump this time around, driven powerfully to wide long off, Dhoni wanted another run, but they settle for a single

14.5

Abdulla to Dhoni, FOUR!!, that's Dhoni's power! He saw the ball tossed up, came down the wicket, converted into a full toss and smacked that straight down the ground, didn't try to hit it in the air, top shot!

14.4

Abdulla to Anirudha, 1 run, Anirudha goes back and whips it down to long on

14.3

Abdulla to Dhoni, 1 run, Dhoni comes down the wicket and punches it down to long on

14.2

Abdulla to Anirudha, 1 run, fuller from Abdulla, Anirudha looks to flick it across, gets a leading edge, the ball rolls to the off side and they scamper through for a quick single, Anirudha gets his FIFTY!!

14.1

Abdulla to Dhoni, 1 run, trifle short again, Dhoni goes back and pulls it to deep mid wicket

13.6

Ladda to Dhoni, 1 run, Dhoni slaps it off the backfoot to deep extra cover, just 3 runs off that over, wonderful stuff!

13.5

Ladda to Anirudha, 1 run, swipes across the line, the man at deep mid wicket picks it on one bounce

13.4

Ladda to Anirudha, no run, that one turned big, Anirudha had to reach out, slapped it hard, but straight to the man at cover, he is the set batsman, and I think it's about time he goes after the bowlers

13.3

Ladda to Anirudha, no run, beauty! Anirudha was dancing down the track, Ladda drops it short, gets it to turn away, Anirudha had to reach out, only manages a thick inside edge, short fine leg runs in to prevent the single

13.2

Ladda to Anirudha, no run, fuller, not much air, played back down the wicket

13.1

Ladda to Dhoni, 1 run, flighted delivery outside the off stump, pushed past cover off the frontfoot for an ambled single

Sarabjit Ladda [1.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack

Another strategic break? I'm not sure, the ads are seeming endless.

12.6

Abdulla to Dhoni, 1 run, much slower through the air, Dhoni was shaping for the big hit, does not get it right, swatted down to long on for just a single

12.5

Abdulla to Anirudha, 1 run, a hint of flight on that delivery, drinven down to long off

12.4

Abdulla to Dhoni, 1 run, Dhoni plunges forward, smothers the spin and pushes it to cover, he is a mighty quick runner betwen the wickets

12.3

Abdulla to Anirudha, 1 run, full and drifting on the pads, Anirudha clears his front leg and flays it to deep mid wicket

12.2

Abdulla to Anirudha, no run, a full toss outside the off stump, square driven straight to backward point

Bhatia to Dhoni, 1 run, on the middle stump, goes off the inside half of the bat towards mid wicket, Dhoni was looking to play that straight

11.5

Bhatia to Anirudha, 1 run, drives again, off the frontfoot, played it with soft hands and they scamper through for a single

11.4

Bhatia to Anirudha, FOUR!!, poor ball to be honest! Full and on the pads, flicked away down to the fine leg region, there is no fielder in the deep and he'll get four more, he's playing a gem of an innings here

11.3

Bhatia to Anirudha, no run, that one didn't bounce much, Anirudha goes back and pulls it to mid wicket, he got some power into that shot of his, but it goes straight to the fielder

11.2

Bhatia to Anirudha, no run, well tossed up, Anirudha leans and drives it to the man at short cover

11.1

Bhatia to Dhoni, 1 run, hint of movement off the seam for Bhatia, nips away slightly, Dhoni goes deep inside the crease and pushes it to cover, quick single taken

10.6

Yusuf Pathan to Dhoni, 1 run, Dhoni gets his leg forward, turns it through the vacant square leg region, he will retains the strike with that run

10.5

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, 1 run, worked away past square leg

10.4

Yusuf Pathan to Dhoni, 1 run, Dhoni goes back and tucks it behind square on the on side

MS Dhoni, right handed bat, comes to the crease

10.3

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, out Caught by Ladda at deep mid wicket!! The date with luck ends for Raina, het gets down on one knee, it was premeditated - the slog sweep, he had to fetch it from well outside the off stump, the ball takes the bottom half of the bat and balloons up in the air, and Surprise folks! The catch has been taken, no mistake by Ladda, the crowd go silent for a minute. Raina c Ladda b Yusuf Pathan 33(29) [4s-4]

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

10.2

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, 1 run, The Kamran Akmal disease has hit the Knight Riders! Anirudha comes down the wicket and hoicks it over mid wicket, the ball was landing straight down the throat of Morgan, and he spills it, that was the easiest of catches that he could have expected, looks to take it with fingers pointing up, and the ball pops out

10.1

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, 1 run, that was a touch short, turning away from Raina, slapped off the backfoot to sweeper cover

Yusuf Pathan [2.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack

Alright, Sid V takes a breather. This is Ajith, I will take you through till the end of the innings.

9.6

Bhatia to Raina, 1 run, full, slower delivery that curves away outside off, Raina drives it to long off

9.5

Bhatia to Anirudha, 1 run, good length outside off, Anirudha hangs back, clears the front leg and looks to crash it through cover, but mistimes it to sweeper cover

9.4

Bhatia to Raina, 1 run, back of a length bowled from the back of the hand, the leg break that cuts back into Raina, he pushes it to long on

9.3

Bhatia to Anirudha, 1 run, full, almost yorker length on the off stump, Anirudha squeezes it out to long on

9.2

Bhatia to Raina, 1 run, fuller on middle and off, Raina whips it to mid wicket

9.1

Bhatia to Anirudha, 1 run, Bhatia is slowing the pace up here, lands it full just outside off, Anirudha eases it to long on

8.6

Balaji to Raina, no run, back of a length, curls away a touch outside off, Raina looks to steer it down to third man, the ball just goes past the outside edge, Raina lets out a loud grunt of frustration

8.5

Balaji to Raina, FOUR!!, that has to be the shot of the night so far, length delivery in the slot outside off, Raina gets forward, swings through the line, thrashes it over deep extra cover, one bounce over the ropes

8.4

Balaji to Raina, 2 runs, short delivery on middle and off, Raina hops back and works it to backward square leg for a couple

8.3

Balaji to Anirudha, 1 run, short delivery on the stumps, Anirudha covers the stumps, thumps the pull shot to backward square leg, Shukla runs and slides to his left, keeps it down to a single

8.2

Balaji to Raina, 1 run, back of a length outside off, Raina opens the bat face and guides it to third man

8.1

Balaji to Anirudha, byes, 1 run, short, slower delivery, cuts back into Anirudha, he arches back and goes for the upper cut, he misses, the ball bounces in front of the keeper, he fumbles and Bhatia cleans up at fine leg, Balaji is not impressed

Lakshmipathy Balaji [1.0-0-6-0] is back into the attack

Right, it is time for the strategic time-out. The Kolkata players will have a lot to discuss, especially their fielding. Can both the Chennai batsmen build on this good start?

7.6

Bhatia to Anirudha, 1 run, full, bowled slower on middle, Anirudha is beaten by the slow pace, ends up checking his shot, chips it to long on, but luckily, there is no fielder there

7.5

Bhatia to Raina, 1 run, full and bowled slower through the air just outside off, Raina waits and pushes it to long off

Bhatia to Raina, 1 run, length delivery, again bowled with a scrambled seam, Raina drives it to long off

7.2

Bhatia to Anirudha, 1 run, back of a length, slower delivery just outside off, Anirudha stays back, punches it to long on

7.1

Bhatia to Raina, 1 run, starts from over the wicket, bowls a short delivery on the middle and leg stump, Raina works it to backward square leg

Rajat Bhatia, comes into the attack

6.6

Ladda to Anirudha, SIX!!, MASSIVE from Anirudha, tossed up and spins away a bit outside off, Anirudha dances down the track, gets to the pitch, clobbers it with the spin to long off, sails wayyyyyy back into the stands, first six of this year's IPL

6.5

Ladda to Raina, 1 run, tossed up on leg stump, Raina presents the full face of the bat, pushes it to long on

6.4

Ladda to Raina, no run, flatter on the stumps, Raina shimmies down the track, bunts it to short mid wicket, the fielder misfields, but they don't take the run

6.3

Ladda to Raina, FOUR!!, tossed up and slightly wide outside off, Raina drives through the line, gets forward and creams it uppishly, but into the gap at deep extra cover

6.2

Ladda to Anirudha, 1 run, flatter, lands it short of length and spins away, gets some extra bounce, Anirudha cuts it uppishly in between point and backward point, Gambhir falls to his left, slight hesitation from both batsmen as they take the single, Gauti fires in the throw at the bowler's end, but he makes it

6.1

Ladda to Anirudha, no run, flatter on the middle and leg stump, Anirudha taps it to short mid wicket

Sarabjit Ladda, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack

5.6

Kallis to Raina, no run, back of a length, bounces over leg stump, Raina shuffles a bit to the off side, looks to tickle it to fine leg, misses it and the keeper takes it, the ball also clipped the back thigh guard on the way

5.5

Kallis to Anirudha, 1 run, length delivery outside off, Anirudha opens the bat face and guides it to third man

5.4

Kallis to Anirudha, FOUR!!, Kallis can stare as much as he wants, short delivery on the stumps, bowled with a scrambled seam, Anirudha goes for the pull, gets a top edge that goes over the keeper and to third man

5.3

Kallis to Anirudha, FOUR!!, width on this wicket is not a good idea, short of length and wide outside off, Anirudha clears the front leg, cracks it past backward point, the fielder dives to his left but he can't get there, races to the square third man fence

5.2

Kallis to Anirudha, no run, back of a length outside off, Anirudha shuffles to the off side, looks to drill it down the ground, mistimes it to the off side

5.1

Kallis to Anirudha, FOUR!!, edged but safe, good length and slightly wide outside off, Anirudha goes for the big booming drive, gets an outside edge that flies past first slip, rolls to third man

4.6

Balaji to Anirudha, 1 run, short of a good length and on the stumps, Anirudha taps it to the leg side, the fielder has a shy at the stumps, it ricochets to the off side and they take a single

4.5

Balaji to Raina, 1 run, catch dropped!! by Yusuf again, short delivery on the stumps, Raina is cramped for room as he goes for the pull, he goes through with the shot, top edges it to mid wicket, Yusuf runs back, leaps and tries to hold onto the catch, after three attempts, he still can't hold onto it, this is not turning out to be a good day for Yusuf

4.4

Balaji to Raina, no run, length delivery, again sprayed it wide outside off, Raina leaves it

4.3

Balaji to Raina, no run, Raina makes room and skips down the pitch, Balaji fires it slightly wide outside off, Raina lets it go, he thought that the umpire would give it a wide, but his arms stay down

4.2

Balaji to Raina, FOUR!!, short, slow bouncer on the middle and leg stump, Raina swivels on the back foot, waits for it, help/pulls it to fine leg, the fielder runs and dives to his left, but he can't stop it, great stuff from Raina

4.1

Balaji to Raina, no run, starts from over the wicket, angles across a back of a length delivery outside off, Raina guides it to backward point with an open face

Lakshmipathy Balaji, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

3.6

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, no run, catch dropped!! by Yusuf Pathan, tossed up on the stumps, Anirudha is beaten slightly in the flight, chips it over the bowler's head, Yusuf leaps but he cannot hold onto the chance, poor effort from the bowler

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, 2 wides, flatter but sprays it down the leg side, Anirudha shuffles to the off side, looks to go for the slog sweep again, but he misses, the keeper does not collect it cleanly and they take an extra run

3.4

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, FOUR!!, all power in that shot, full and flat outside off, Anirudha gets underneath that delivery, blasts to over the bowler's head, one bounce over the ropes at long off

3.3

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, no run, tossed up and spins into Anirudha, he shuffles a bit to the off side, looks to slog sweep it to deep mid wicket, but he misses and gets rapped on the pads, stifled shout from Yusuf for LBW, but the umpire says NO, possibly spinning down the leg side

3.2

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, no run, tossed up on the middle and leg stump, given some drift, Anirudha drills it back to the bowler, he misfields slightly and that rolls to mid on

3.1

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, 1 run, full and quick on middle and off, Raina drives it past Yusuf, goes to long off

Abdulla to Raina, 1 run, another low full toss, Raina bunts it to mid on, the fielder dives over the ball to his right, rolls to long on

2.4

Abdulla to Anirudha, 1 run, flatter on the stumps, Anirudha taps it to mid on, takes a quick single, Bhatia was a little deep there and he fires the throw at the bowler's end, but he misses

2.3

Abdulla to Anirudha, no run, Anirudha again dances down the track, Abdulla fires it quick and on the pads, Anirudha drills it to short cover, the fielder leaps and stops it from going further

2.2

Abdulla to Anirudha, no run, almost a chance, drags this one short and spins away a touch outside off, gets some extra bounce, Anirudha goes for the cut, goes uppishly but falls just in front of the fielder at backward point

2.1

Abdulla to Raina, 1 run, low full toss on the pads of Raina, he clips it to deep mid wicket

1.6

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, no run, quicker and strays onto the pads of Anirudha, he clips it to square leg

1.5

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, 1 run, flatter on the middle and leg stump, Raina pushes it to mid on for a quick single

1.4

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, FOUR!!, Raina is off the mark in style, tossed up and given some air outside off, Raina backs away to the leg side, he almost reaches out for it, chip/scoops it inside out over deep extra cover

1.3

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, no run, full and flat just outside off, Raina plunges forward, dabs it to backward point

1.2

Yusuf Pathan to Raina, no run, quicker and slightly short on the stumps, Raina hops back and nurdles it to mid wicket

1.1

Yusuf Pathan to Anirudha, 1 run, flatter and turns into Anirudha, he nurdles it to mid wicket

Yusuf Pathan, right-arm off break, comes into the attack

Suresh Raina, left handed bat, comes to the crease

0.6

Abdulla to Vijay, out Caught by Bhatia!! That is a very loose shot! Abdulla tosses this one up on the stumps, Vijay again skips down the pitch, does not get to the pitch of the ball, he thumps it to mid on, but he does not get the desired elevation, Bhatia is on the edge of the circle and he takes an easy catch. Vijay c Bhatia b Abdulla 4(4) [4s-1]

Abdulla to Vijay, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

0.5

Abdulla to Vijay, FOUR!!, first boundary of the IPL, tossed up on the stumps, Vijay advances down the track, swings across the line, whips it into the gap at deep mid wicket

0.4

Abdulla to Vijay, no run, quicker just outside off, Vijay pushes it to mid off, Tiwary dives to his right and stops it

0.3

Abdulla to Vijay, no run, flatter, straightens a bit outside off, Vijay taps it to cover point

0.2

Abdulla to Anirudha, 1 run, tossed up and full outside off, Anirudha drives it to long off, first runs of the IPL

0.1

Abdulla to Anirudha, no run, starts from round the wicket, fires it quicker on the stumps, Anirudha gets forward and pushes at it, gets an inside edge that rolls to square leg

Anirudha and Vijay are at the crease. Anirudha is on strike. Abdulla will open the attack

Thanks, Ajith. And it looks like Kolkata will operate with a spinner. Umpire Doctrove is asking the batsmen, skipper and bowler, ARE YOU READY? He also shouts Chennai Vanakkum. We are all set to start.

The players are making their way out, Gautam Gambhir is moving his resources around, interesting to see how well he would do as a captain. To take you through for the first 10 overs, it will be Sid V replacing me (Ajith) who'll be back for the later half of the innings. Vijay is making his way out with Anirudha.

Ashwin: It is awesome being part of the World Cup winning team but we have moved in. We have a great fan base in Chennai and they are helping us in a big way. We all know how everyone operates in this unit and the support staff are also great. Dhoni has been handling the pressure beautifully. Most teams that come to India find it hard to handle the ground, the new look is beautiful. Chennai Super Kings ku loud whistle podu.

Gambhir: This is a different ball game, it is a completely different format. We all are excited for the new tournament. We have spent a couple of days with each other, we have had some nice chats and we are raring to go. We would have chased even though I'd won the toss. We are playing three spinners and two quicks. We are playing only two foreign players.

Dhoni: Feels good to be back to franchisee cricket, back to managing your resources with the options available. We have lost a couple of players, the franchisees haven't got enough time to spend with the players. We have had some practice for the last couple of days, we have also had a few team meetings. We will bat first, looks like a good track. But the wicket will slow down as the game progresses. There will be a bit of help for the bowlers. Dew won't be a factor here, I don't think it will change much. We have not had enough time to gel up with each other, but we are still looking forward. Morkel, Styris, Southee and Randiv are the overseas players.

Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and elected to bat

We are just a couple of minutes away from the toss. Are you ready?

The King of Bollywood is now doing his bit of lip syncing to a Tamil script. Shriya Saran, a South Indian actress, joins him on the stage for another hit song 'Appadi Podu'. Next up is Ringa Ringa, another dance number. Fireworks erupt, the crowd have gone ballistic. Looks like it's the end of the opening ceremony, and as always, SRK has left the crowd spellbound.

Alright, time for the Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan. Check the noise levels at the stadium please! This man is 'elegance personified', the remix of Chakde India to kick start things.

For starters, Sunidhi and Enrique Iglesius are working together on a new album that's slated to come out before the end of this year. She's just giving the fans a glimpse of what's coming their way.

Looks like the crowds don't want this anymore. They want the cricket to begin. No cheers whatsoever for Sunidhi Chauhan. Now, I can hear some noise as Dhoom Machale makes way to another number from a Shah Rukh Khan starrer Rab Ne Bana De Jodi. The newest of the Bolloywood hits from 'Band Baja Barat' follows.

After Raghav Mathur's western music, it's now time for the bollywood numbers. Three pretty women - Manasa, Akriti and Sona - are doing the vocals. Up next is Kunal Ganjawala! Now, he's better known compared to the ones who came up on the stage before.

Time for music. Youth painted in saffron, white and green showcase their dancing skills to some grooving and heart-racing beats. Taufiq Qureshi, a famous percussionist, is out there next, with his team creating some rhythmic melody. Shivamani is very famous in this part of the world. I bet most of you would have heard his name. He's not to be seen anywhere though.

The captains make their way out to sign the MCC spirit of cricket banner. As expected MS Dhoni gets a loud cheer from the Chennai crowd but nothing to beat the one which welcomed Sachin Tendulkar. Some modifications in the jerseys for the Royal Challengers and Delhi Daredevils. The crowds love this format, don't they? Even Ravi Shastri's voice didn't succeed in silencing them. The president of the BCCI - Shashank Manohar - declares the 4th edition of the Indian Premier League open. "The youngsters should look forward to the opportunity of rubbing shoulders with International giants", he says before completing the short speech.

Hello folks, a warm welcome to one and all. The hurricane called Indian Premier League is back to take you on a roller coaster ride. Before the game between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders get underway, it is time for the opening ceremony. The chairman of the IPL, Mr. Chirayu Amin has just completed his speech. This is Ajith and I will bring you all the action along with Srivathsa and Sid V. You would not want to miss the action, would you? Don't go anywhere, we'll be back with a lot of juicy updates.

by Vishaal LoganathanAnother multi starrer tournament kicks off with the hullabaloo of India's memorable World Cup win yet to die down. The IPL, a leaner, meaner and raunchier version of cricket kicks off with the defending champions, Chennai Super Kings facing off against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
There are, however, many points to prove to scores of people all around the world:
1. Gautam Gambhir - that the team can be successful without Sourav Ganguly.
2. MS Dhoni - that there is still ambition left in him after the WC triumph.
3. The BCCI - that IPL minus Lalit Modi can also be a huge success.
4. IPL - that there's never too much cricket.
After weeks of grueling battles for cricket's biggest honour, teammates will now be on opposite sides for the next 51 days to fight for the Indian Premier League. Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions, take on the tournament's perennial under performers, Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural game of IPL IV. MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan and Gautam Gambhir, part of the World Cup winning Indian side now find themselves pitted against each other in the tournament opener. The two teams cannot have been more different with Chennai being one of the tournament's most consistent performers, having made the last 4 on all three occasions while lifting the trophy once, KKR on the other hand have failed to live up to the expectations after a brilliant opening on the first day of IPL 1.Chennai Super KingsThe defending champions go into the game with almost the same side they had last year; they retained 4 of their top players from the previous editions while also buying back R Ashwin, S Badrinath, D Bollinger and M Hussey among others. Their major concern however will be whether Dhoni, Raina and Ashwin have recovered from the World Cup victory hangover.
Their coach, Stephen Fleming is looking at the glass half full saying that the World Cup has been the ideal preparation for the IPL and it will allow their players to hit the ground running. Dhoni however was more critical of the hectic schedule.
The other concern will be the loss of two key bowlers, M Muralitharan and D Bollinger (due to injury), who have been key to Chennai's success so far. That means, a lot of onus falls on Ashwin and Albie Morkel and should one fail it could make the job much harder for Dhoni.
The Super Kings, much like the Dhoni-led India squad, aren't great starters. In the previous 3 editions they have managed to get off to a winning start only once, in the inaugural edition when Michael Hussey smashed a brilliant 100.Kolkata Knight RidersThe Kolkata Knight Riders went in for a complete revamp after a disastrous first three editions, choosing to even leave out their talisman, Sourav Ganguly. Gautam Gambhir was bought for a record price of $2.4 million, Yusuf Pathan too came at a huge price. They chose to bring in proven performers instead of just big names - Jacques Kallis, Shakib al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Brett Lee and Ryan ten Doeschate testify the fact.
The Knight Riders have somehow failed to deliver to their massive fan base across India. They finished 6th in the first edition, last in the 2nd edition and 6th again in the 2010 essay and Gambhir, who was instilled as the captain, will have a job at hand trying to convince their fans that the team can click without Ganguly.
They have however fared better in the opening matches when compared to the Super Kings, winning 2 out of their 3 matches, including a 140 run walloping they handed to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first match of IPL 1.Players to watch out for:R Ashwin - Ashwin burst onto the scene in IPL and is renowned for tight bowling under pressure, but the youngster has always had Murali for support and advice. Now that Murali has been snapped up by Kochi, Ashwin finds himself with an unfamiliar role - their team's premier bowler. Will the pressure get to him, or will his cool head overcome this as well remains to be seen.Jacques Kallis - The burly South African all-rounder will have to play a key role if KKR are to erase memories of their previous disasters. With the team missing out on a few key players due to the Australia - Bangladesh series, Kallis will provide Gambhir with the extra option with the ball while also batting like only he can.Head to head:CSK have won 4 of the 6 meetings between the two teams. KKR have won once while the other game was washed out.